Corus Entertainment has rebranded Winnipeg rock radio staple Power 97 (CJKR-FM) as Power 97 Winnipeg’s Iconic Alternative.
Promising to play “the greatest New Wave, Grunge, and Classic Alternative hits,” the format flip is in line with Corus’ move earlier this year to rebrand CFGQ-FM Calgary as 107.3 The Edge, similar to Toronto’s 102.1 The Edge (CFNY-FM).
Like The Edge stations, veteran talent Alan Cross will serve an ambassador for the station, accompanied by his long-running musicology series, The Ongoing History of New Music.
The Power lineup will be rounded by Power Mornings with Jay Richardson, Middays with Lex, Power Afternoons with Ed Garcia, and Evenings and Weekends with Fearless Fred. Vickie Shae, who was heard alongside Richardson on the morning show, will be moving down the hall to sister station Country 99 (CFPG-FM) to helm afternoon drive. That daypart is currently voice-tracked by Country 105 (CKQM-FM) Calgary morning host Gregg Reynolds.
Power 97 will move forward playing alternative music from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, from core artists like the Foo Fighters, Green Day, Florence and the Machine, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Talking Heads, The Cure, David Bowie, The Killers, Blondie, and Stone Temple Pilots.
This is the third format tweak for CJKR-FM since 2015, when the station flipped to a Classic Rock format, under the BIG FM moniker. Less than two years later, it rebranded back to Power 97 and its Active Rock format. There are no other Alternative format stations in the market, with the exception of some of the programming on University of Winnipeg campus station, CKUW, and its University of Manitoba counterpart, 101.5 UMFM (CJUM-FM).
“We are tremendously excited to re-imagine a legacy station like Power 97 with this unique and appealing format,” said Dustin Collins, Program Director at Corus Audio. “Iconic Alternative captures three decades of music that has been a formative soundtrack for the lives of many Winnipeggers, and I am stoked to be on this ride with listeners!”
Power 97 will also continue as the FM home of the Winnipeg Jets.
CJKR-FM has struggled to overcome its longtime rival, Rogers Sports & Media’s 92.1 CITI-FM.
In the spring diary ratings, 92.1 CITI-FM led listening with men, 25-54, with a 13.8 % and men, 18-34, with a 15.4%. Power earned a 5.2% share with M25-54 and just 1.2% of listeners in the M18-34 demo.
